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Answering questions on the Support Forum

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Answering community Support Forum questions
Answering community Support Forum questions

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It's easy to get started answering support forum questions. Don't worry, you don't have to be an expert to make a difference. Most questions are already answered by a [/contributors/most-visited Knowledge Base article] and you can post a link. If you have questions about the support process, just ask us in the [/forums/contributors Contributors forum] or in the [irc://irc.mozilla.org/sumo #sumo IRC channel]. Below are some tips on becoming a question-answering pro. __TOC__ = Finding questions = Use the support forum questions list, either for all products or for a specific product forum, to find users who need help. The [/questions/all All Products] questions list includes all Mozilla products where users can ask a support question. If you want to limit the list of questions to a specific product, you can select it from the [/questions Support Forum home page]. Pay special attention to [/questions/all?filter=recently-unanswered&show=all threads that have no replies] or where the last poster wasn't another regular contributor (top 10 and top 25 contributors are reported below their usernames). If you're answering questions about Firefox or Thunderbird and you're on Mac OS or Linux, watch out for users on the same operating system; they may have questions that Windows users wouldn't be able to answer. = Finding answers = Rather than trying to figure out the user's problem by yourself every time, first search to see if it's come up before. Try to use the [/contributors/most-visited Knowledge Base articles] before anything else. These articles have been quality-reviewed and have information for all supported systems. Remember, you're not only helping the person who's asking the question, you're helping people who read the thread in the future. {note}'''To link to a Knowledge Base support article, put the article name within double brackets. <nowiki>[[</nowiki>Troubleshoot Firefox issues using Safe Mode<nowiki>]]</nowiki> becomes [[Troubleshoot Firefox issues using Safe Mode]].'''{/note} '''Tip:''' You can use the "Insert a link..." tool in the forum reply box to find and post links to support articles. You can also post one of the available [[common forum responses]] using the forum reply box "Common responses" tool. If the Knowledge Base doesn't have your answers, you can use other sources. Some good ones: * [/questions Forum threads] * [http://kb.mozillazine.org/ mozillaZine Knowledge Base] * [http://forums.mozillazine.org/ mozillaZine Forums] * [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/ Bugzilla] {note}'''To link to a [https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Resource_Locator URL] (web address), put it within single square brackets, with a space separating the URL from the text. <nowiki>[</nowiki>http://www.getfirefox<!-- -->.com Download Firefox] becomes [http://www.getfirefox.com Download Firefox].'''{/note} If you find yourself using external resources, consider adding their information to an existing article or proposing a new article – see [[About the Knowledge Base]]. Because this site is the first line of Mozilla support and a Knowledge Base search is the first thing most users will do, having the information in a Knowledge Base article will let the user find the info more easily by themselves. = Doing investigation = If you can't find previous cases of the issue happening, here are some tips on figuring out the problem yourself. '''Note:''' If you need more help investigating Firefox issues, see the [[Firefox Support troubleshooting guide]]. * Consider the user's operating system and version of Firefox or Thunderbird. * '''Please look carefully at the product. For example, questions about Firefox for Android or Firefox for iOS will need different answers than Firefox desktop questions.''' * Take a look at the user's extensions and plugins. In particular, watch for outdated plugins, and extensions that are known to cause problems. * Try to isolate the cause of the problem. ** Does the problem happen on your computer? This is useful for determining whether it's a problem with the user's setup. ** Does the problem happen in Firefox or Thunderbird Safe Mode? See [[Troubleshoot Firefox issues using Safe Mode]] and [[Safe Mode TB]] ** Does the problem happen when security software is temporarily disabled? ** For Firefox issues, does the problem happen in Internet Explorer or another browser? If so, it's a problem on the system, not Firefox. * In case of crashes, see [[Helping with crashes]]. Again, if you find out the solution, consider adding it to the Knowledge Base. = Posting replies = * Be nice. It's not your job to defend yourself, others, or even Mozilla. Users may just be venting because their problems are frustrating. The best thing to do is to help the user get his or her answer. If you feel that a post has crossed the line, report it to a moderator by using the "Report Abuse" link. * Make a judgment on a user's experience based on their posts. For example, not all users know how to get to about:config. When in doubt, err on the side of explaining more. * Look at what OS the user is using and tailor your reply to that. For example, Linux users won't have a {filepath C:\Program Files} and Mac users may not be able to right-click. * For problems appearing after a Firefox update, try first to solve the issue. In case there are no solutions, provide a link to the [[Installing a previous version of Firefox|previous version]], if the user insists, and add a warning below the link stating that the version is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulnerability_%28computing%29 insecure] and can potentially compromise the confidentiality, integrity or availability of personal information. = Following up = The answers you give may not be correct, or the user may have some follow up questions for you. In either case, it's useful to both you and the user that your conversation continues. You are subscribed to threads by default, meaning that you will get e-mail notifications whenever someone replies. You may also find [/questions/all?show=all&owner=mine the list of threads you posted in] useful. =Getting help= If you get stuck on a difficult support question, you can escalate it to the Helpdesk by adding the "escalate" tag. See the [[Escalation Guidelines]] for details. You can also use the [/forums/support-forum-contributors Support Forum Contributors] Advanced Troubleshooting forum to discuss difficult questions you've escalated or to see if other contributors are able to help. =Duplicate questions= If you find that the same user has asked the same question in two or more recent threads: * '''Add a reply''' to the duplicate thread, tell the user that his question is a duplicate of one he recently asked, and include a link to the original thread. * '''Report to a moderator''' by clicking "Report Abuse" so that the thread can be locked. * Moderators: Lock the duplicate thread after adding a reply (do not simply edit the user's post). =Off-topic questions= As a general rule we should only offer support for the products listed on the [/questions/new Ask a Question page] at the time the thread is opened. Everything else should be considered offtopic (please see [[Forum rules and guidelines]]). Users who post about things other than Mozilla support as defined above will be directed to an alternative discussion place (such as [http://forums.mozillazine.org mozillaZine]) if appropriate. User discussion, complaints or rants about issues that are not in our power to solve (such as development decisions) will be treated as offtopic and directed to an alternative discussion place. {note}Thunderbird users can submit feature requests or other Thunderbird feedback in the support forum as the input.mozilla.org feedback process is Firefox-only. These posts are NOT offtopic. {/note} * '''Mark as offtopic''' by typing ''offtopic'' in the text box under '''TAGS''' on the right-hand side and clicking the {button Add} button. (Click on '''TAGS''' if you don't see the text entry box). * '''Add a reply''' that the forum is for helping users with support questions about products listed on the [/questions/new main support page] only and that we do not provide support for other products or issues. *If possible, '''provide a helpful link or suggestion''' (For instance, a Windows or Mozillazine article or forum). *''' Report to a moderator''' by clicking "Report Abuse" so that the thread can be locked. <br> [http://goo.gl/jnlCCb For Contributor Quality Training Participants: Go to Chapter 3 here] <br>
It's easy to get started answering support forum questions. Don't worry, you don't have to be an expert to make a difference. Most questions are already answered by a [/contributors/most-visited Knowledge Base article] and you can post a link. If you have questions about the support process, just ask us in the [/forums/contributors Contributors forum] or in the [irc://irc.mozilla.org/sumo #sumo IRC channel]. Below are some tips on becoming a question-answering pro. __TOC__ = Finding questions = Use the support forum questions list, either for all products or for a specific product forum, to find users who need help. The [/questions/all All Products] questions list includes all Mozilla products where users can ask a support question. If you want to limit the list of questions to a specific product, you can select it from the [/questions Support Forum home page]. Pay special attention to [/questions/all?filter=recently-unanswered&show=all threads that have no replies] or where the last poster wasn't another regular contributor (top 10 and top 25 contributors are reported below their usernames). If you're answering questions about Firefox or Thunderbird and you're on Mac OS or Linux, watch out for users on the same operating system; they may have questions that Windows users wouldn't be able to answer. = Finding answers = Rather than trying to figure out the user's problem by yourself every time, first search to see if it's come up before. Try to use the [/contributors/most-visited Knowledge Base articles] before anything else. These articles have been quality-reviewed and have information for all supported systems. Remember, you're not only helping the person who's asking the question, you're helping people who read the thread in the future. {note}'''To link to a Knowledge Base support article, put the article name within double brackets. <nowiki>[[</nowiki>Troubleshoot Firefox issues using Safe Mode<nowiki>]]</nowiki> becomes [[Troubleshoot Firefox issues using Safe Mode]].'''{/note} '''Tip:''' You can use the "Insert a link..." tool in the forum reply box to find and post links to support articles. You can also post one of the available [[common forum responses]] using the forum reply box "Common responses" tool. If the Knowledge Base doesn't have your answers, you can use other sources. Some good ones: * [/questions Forum threads] * [http://kb.mozillazine.org/ mozillaZine Knowledge Base] * [http://forums.mozillazine.org/ mozillaZine Forums] * [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/ Bugzilla] {note}'''To link to a [https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Resource_Locator URL] (web address), put it within single square brackets, with a space separating the URL from the text. <nowiki>[</nowiki>http://www.getfirefox<!-- -->.com Download Firefox] becomes [http://www.getfirefox.com Download Firefox].'''{/note} If you find yourself using external resources, consider adding their information to an existing article or proposing a new article – see [[About the Knowledge Base]]. Because this site is the first line of Mozilla support and a Knowledge Base search is the first thing most users will do, having the information in a Knowledge Base article will let the user find the info more easily by themselves. = Doing investigation = If you can't find previous cases of the issue happening, here are some tips on figuring out the problem yourself. '''Note:''' If you need more help investigating Firefox issues, see the [[Firefox Support troubleshooting guide]]. * Consider the user's operating system and version of Firefox or Thunderbird. * '''Please look carefully at the product. For example, questions about Firefox for Android or Firefox for iOS will need different answers than Firefox desktop questions.''' * Take a look at the user's extensions and plugins. In particular, watch for outdated plugins, and extensions that are known to cause problems. * Try to isolate the cause of the problem. ** Does the problem happen on your computer? This is useful for determining whether it's a problem with the user's setup. ** Does the problem happen in Firefox or Thunderbird Safe Mode? See [[Troubleshoot Firefox issues using Safe Mode]] and [[Safe Mode TB]] ** Does the problem happen when security software is temporarily disabled? ** For Firefox issues, does the problem happen in Internet Explorer or another browser? If so, it's a problem on the system, not Firefox. * In case of crashes, see [[Helping with crashes]]. Again, if you find out the solution, consider adding it to the Knowledge Base. = Posting replies = * Be nice. It's not your job to defend yourself, others, or even Mozilla. Users may just be venting because their problems are frustrating. The best thing to do is to help the user get his or her answer. If you feel that a post has crossed the line, report it to a moderator by using the "Report Abuse" link. * Make a judgment on a user's experience based on their posts. For example, not all users know how to get to about:config. When in doubt, err on the side of explaining more. * Look at what OS the user is using and tailor your reply to that. For example, Linux users won't have a {filepath C:\Program Files} and Mac users may not be able to right-click. * For problems appearing after a Firefox update, try first to solve the issue. In case there are no solutions, provide a link to the [[Installing a previous version of Firefox|previous version]], if the user insists, and add a warning below the link stating that the version is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulnerability_%28computing%29 insecure] and can potentially compromise the confidentiality, integrity or availability of personal information. = Following up = The answers you give may not be correct, or the user may have some follow up questions for you. In either case, it's useful to both you and the user that your conversation continues. You are subscribed to threads by default, meaning that you will get e-mail notifications whenever someone replies. You may also find [/questions/all?show=all&owner=mine the list of threads you posted in] useful. =Getting help= If you get stuck on a difficult support question, you can escalate it to the Helpdesk by adding the "escalate" tag. See the [[Escalation Guidelines]] for details. You can also use the [/forums/support-forum-contributors Support Forum Contributors] Advanced Troubleshooting forum to discuss difficult questions you've escalated or to see if other contributors are able to help. =Duplicate questions= If you find that the same user has asked the same question in two or more recent threads: * '''Add a reply''' to the duplicate thread, tell the user that his question is a duplicate of one he recently asked, and include a link to the original thread. * '''Report to a moderator''' by clicking "Report Abuse" so that the thread can be locked. * Moderators: Lock the duplicate thread after adding a reply (do not simply edit the user's post). =Off-topic questions= As a general rule, we should only offer support for the products listed on the [/questions/new Ask a Question page] at the time the thread is opened. Everything else should be considered offtopic (please see [[Forum rules and guidelines]]). If someone posts about a topic other than Mozilla support as defined above, we can try to help by providing a link to a web page with relevant information or we can direct them to an appropriate discussion forum, if possible. For example, refer users with Windows problems to a Microsoft or Windows forum. For iPhone issues, refer them to the right Apple forum. User posts about Mozilla issues that are not in our power to solve, such as development decisions, will be treated as offtopic. For serious discussion, direct users to an appropriate forum that covers the topic, such as one of the [https://www.mozilla.org/about/forums/ Mozilla forums] or a specific [https://discourse.mozilla-community.org/ Mozilla Discourse] forum. Firefox users who post opinions, complaints or rants can also be referred to the Advocacy team through the [https://input.mozilla.org/feedback/ Submit Feedback] process. The [https://wiki.mozilla.org/Advocacy User Advocacy] team reviews all feedback and reports on the findings to the product teams and relevant parties, which helps to influence and shape Mozilla products. {note}'''Note:''' Thunderbird users can submit feature requests or other Thunderbird feedback in the support forum as the input.mozilla.org feedback process is Firefox-only. These posts are NOT offtopic. {/note} * '''Mark as offtopic''' by typing ''offtopic'' in the text box under '''TAGS''' on the right-hand side and clicking the {button Add} button. (Click on '''TAGS''' if you don't see the text entry box). * '''Add a reply''' that the forum is for helping users with support questions about products listed on the [/questions/new main support page] only and that we do not provide support for other products or issues. *If possible, '''provide a helpful link or suggestion''' (For instance, a Windows or Mozillazine article or forum). *''' Report to a moderator''' by clicking "Report Abuse" so that the thread can be locked. <br> [http://goo.gl/jnlCCb For Contributor Quality Training Participants: Go to Chapter 3 here] <br>

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